chickpea

IPA/ˈtʃɪkpiː/
IPA/ˈtʃɪkpiː/

chickpea — noun

  • chickpeasingular
  • chickpeasplural

1. A chickpea is a small, round, light-brown legume that people cook and eat in dis

1.nounB1
Definition

A chickpea is a small, round, light-brown legume that people cook and eat in dishes such as soups, salads, and hummus.

Example

Ravi added cooked chickpeas to his curry for extra protein and texture.

collocation: add chickpeas to [dish]

The hummus at the party was made from fresh chickpeas, tahini, and lemon juice.

passive: was made from [ingredients]

Common collocations
  • cook chickpeas
  • roast chickpeas
  • drain chickpeas
  • chickpea curry
  • chickpea salad
  • can of chickpeas
  • tin of chickpeas
Synonyms
  • garbanzo bean

    Common American name for the same legume; used especially in Latin American and US recipes

Grammar Patterns

chickpea + noun (as modifier)

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Chickpea and garbanzo bean refer to the exact same ingredient — 'garbanzo' is the Spanish-derived name common in American English, while 'chickpea' is standard in British and international English. Legume is the broader botanical family that includes chickpeas, lentils, beans, and peanuts; calling a chickpea a legume is correct but less specific. Pulse is a narrower term used for the dried edible seeds of legumes (including chickpeas, lentils, and dried peas), common in agricultural and nutritional contexts. In everyday cooking, say 'chickpea' or 'garbanzo bean'; in health discussions, 'pulse' or 'legume' may appear.

garbanzo beanlegume ↗pulse ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • chickpea soup
  • chickpea flour
  • chickpea salad
  • chickpea curry

Phrases

  • can of chickpeas
  • tin of chickpeas
  • bag of chickpeas
  • cup of chickpeas

Prepositions

  • of chickpeas
  • with chickpeas

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word chickpea comes from the French 'pois chiche' ('chick pea'), where 'chiche' traces back to the Latin 'cicer', meaning 'chickpea'. The English spelling was influenced by the unrelated word 'chick' (the young bird). The scientific genus name Cicer preserves the original Latin root.